Making Allowances For One Another

Forgiving One Another As God Has Forgiven Us

What kinds of things about other people (eg your partner/best friend/children/your boss/work colleagues, etc) drive you crazy?

Below are some common examples!

• People who squeeze the toothpaste from the middle of the tube
• Not cleaning the basin/bath after using it
• Leaving clothes all over the bedroom floor
• Not putting dirty washing in the dirty washing basket
• Those computer-generated phone calls telling you "Congratulations! ....."• Tissues left in clothes to be washed that leave everything with bits on
• Having to repeat the same details to five different call centre operators
• Taking time off work to wait for a plumber who never turns up
• Noisy eaters or who eat with their mouths open
• People who speak very loudly or in high-pitched squeaky voices
• People who invade your private space by standing too close in front of you
• People who never clean their teeth and suffer from bad breath

You can probably think of at least half a dozen other examples of your own! No matter how annoying other people may be, we need to make allowances for them because God has made allowances for us.

In COLOSSIANS 3:13 Paul tells the Christians in Colossae they must MAKE ALLOWANCES, or BE PATIENT WITH, ONE ANOTHER. He goes on to say that means forgiving others as God has forgiven us through his Son Jesus Christ.